Stimulus acupuncturator



July 30, 1935. Y. KUMURA 2,009,552

STIMULUS ACUPUNCTURATOR Filed Deo. 15, 195s gmc/who@ Patented July 30, 1935 PATENT OFFICE STIMULUS ACUPUNCTURATOR Yasujiro Okumura, r Chome, Nishi-Ku, Osaka,

. Japan Application December 15, 1933, Serial No. 702,622 In Japan December 23, 1932 A 4 claims. (c1. 12s- 333) The present invention relates to stimulus acupuncturator, and the primary object of `the invention is to provide a stimulus-acupunctura-tor which can be used for three different stimu- 5 lus-acupuncture by an acupuncturator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stimulus-acupuncturator, wherein the needles are thoroughly disinfected before each operation of the device. Y

A further object of the invention is to provide a stimulus-acupuncturator, in which the position of the needles can be easily controlled.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a stimulus-acupuncturator in which a broken needle may be replaced without the necessity of changing all of the needles.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which drawing:

The figure is a longitudinal section of an acupuncturator constructed in accordance with the present invention.

By referring to the drawing, it will be seen that I designates the outer tubular casing upon one end of which is threaded an extension 2, the threaded joint between the casing I and the extension 2 being covered by a narrow metal band 4. The tubular casing I is provided upon its inner face with a longitudinally extending channel 3. A disinfecting cap 6 is tted over the outer end of the extension 2, within which cap 6 is mounted the sterilizing gauze or cotton 5 which sterilized gauze or cotton may be soaked in a suitable dis' infectant. The opposite end of the tubular casing I carries a threaded plug or end plate 'I constituting a closure for one end of the tubular casing I. A cup-shaped operating cap 8 is slidably mounted upon one end of the tubular casing I, as shown in the drawing, and a circular plug I ll is secured to the inner face of the cap 8 by means of a securing screw 9, the plug I0 having an annular inner head which contacts with the inner face of the plug 1 and limits the outward movement of the cap 8 relatively to the plug 'I. A shank I I is carried by the circular plug I0 and is provided with a threaded extension I2 which fits within an internally threaded bore formed in the plug ID this threaded extension I2 being locked in anchored position against rotation by means of the locking screw I3. A coil spring I4 is mounted upon the shank I I and engages the enlarged head of the plug I D and also contacts with the abutment seat 26 carried by the tubular casing I, this abutment seat 26 comprising a circular collar through which the shank II reciprocates. This abutment seat 26 is anchored in position by means of anchoring screws 25. 5

The shank I I is provided with a forwardly extending externally threaded neck upon which forwardly extending externally threaded neck is threaded an elongated needle supporting housing I6, this needle supporting housing I6 being l0 externally threaded for the purpose hereinafter described. The needle carrying housing I6 is locked upon the threaded neck of the shank II by means of suitable lockingl screws or pins Il. The needle carrying housing I6 is adapted to 15 support a plurality of line needles 22 which needles extend longitudinally Yof the housing I6 and protrude beyond the outer end of the housing I6. The inner ends of the needles 22 are tted within the inner end of the housing I6 and abut 20 against the seat plate I5, as shown. These needles may be removed when desired by disassembling the parts for the purpose or replacement should occasion require.

A collar I9 is threaded upon the externally 25 threaded housing I6, and upon this collar I9 is threaded the outer needle carrying housing 24, the needles extending longitudinally of the housing 24 and protruding beyond the outer end of the housing 24. The housing I6 extends longi- 30 tudinally through the housing 24 and the outer end of the housing I6 protrudes beyond the outer end of the housing 24. A stop collar 23 is threaded upon the collar I9 and engages a suitable seat plate 20 against which the inner ends of the outer 35 needles, which maybe referred to as the replenishment needles 2 I, abut. By removing the collar 23 and the seat plate 20, the needles 2l may be replaced, if desired. p

The collar I9 carries a lug I8 which is slidably 40 mounted in the channel 3lthereby permitting the collar I9 and its associated parts to slide longitudinally of the casing I as the cap 8 is pressed inwardly. Through the medium of the present device, different style needles, strong, 45 weak and medium may be employed and the needles at all times may be properly disinfected. The forward .and rearward movement of the needles through their supports may be easily controlled at the will of the operator for the purpose 50 of producing an acupuncture easily and safely Without injuring the skin or breaking the needle and without the necessity of employing an expert.

The operation of the device is as folloWs:- 55

The tubular casing I is grasped by the fingers of the operator and the cap B is pushed inwardly by the thumb or iinger of the operator at which time the needles 22 will enter or penetrate into the sterilized gauze or cotton 5 for disinfecting or sterilizing the needles. The cap 6 may then be loosened and removed and the needles 22 may be permitted through the action of the spring i4 to return to their normal position. The outer end' of the extension 2 is then placed against the skin and the casing by being gripped in the lingers of the operat-or may be properly held in position whereby a slight pressure upon the cap 8 by the thumb or iinger of the operator, will produce a proper acupuncture by forcing the needles 22 beyond the end of the extension 2 for piercing the skin. g

When it is desired to obtain a strong stimulus acupuncture the following method is pursued:-

The cap 8 is rotated thereby turning the shank H, and the housing I6 which carries the needles 22, and this will cause the collar i9 to be fed forwardly upon the external threads upon the housing IG thereby forcing the needles 2| outwardly, the collar i9 being held against rotation bybeingfreeto slide longitudinally or the tubular casing l due to the fact that the lugs i 8 will slide within the channels 3. The outer housing 2d will of course move with the needles 2i longitudinally of the tubular casing l. The operation is continued until the outer endsof the needles 2l are in line with the outer. end of the line or the needlesi.. Then by pushing inwardly upon the cap 3 both the'outer needles 2i and the inner needles 22 will penetrate the skin.

When it is desired to obtain a medium stimulus acupuncture the cap 8 is rotated until the outer ends of the needlesy 2l project .a suitable distance beyond the ends of the outer needles'22, at which time only the outer needles 2l may produce the desired acupuncture. A reversal of the rotation of the cap 8 will return the parts to the desired position, the inward movement of the collar I9 being limited by means of the abutment seat 2G.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that merely by rotating the cap 8 relative to the outer tubular casing I, the relative positions of the needles 2i and 22 may be adjusted to obtain the desired acupuncture. Furthermore,v by means of the structure illustrated the needles 2l and 22 will be properly braced and due to the fact that these needles preferably possess considerable elasticity there will not be a tendency for the needles to break even when obtaining an acupuncture through hard parts ofthe skin. It should be understood that the needles 2| and 22 are individually removable from the supports in order to permit any individual needle to be replaced when desired.

What is claimed as new is:-

1`. A device of the class described comprising an outer casing, an inner needle carrying housing mounted within said outer casing, needles carried by the inner needle carrying housing, means for moving said needles longitudinally of said outer casing, a series of outer needles mounted for movement longitudinally of said inner needle carrying housing, and means for moving the outer series of needles longitudinally of the inner needle carrying housing for permitting the inner and outer series of needles to beiselectively as well as uniformly brought into action.

2. A device of the class described comprising an outer casing, an inner needle carrying housing reciprocably mounted within said casing, a collar carried by said inner needle carrying housing and threaded thereon, an outer needle carryinglhousing carried by the collar, needles carried by the inner housing, needles carried by the outer housing, means for mounting said collar against rotating movement with respect to the casing and permitting longitudinal move- "ment of the collar, and means for rotating the inner; needle carrying casing for moving said collar and outer needle carrying housing longitudinally upon the inner needle carrying housing.

3. A device of the class described comprising an outer casing, a cap slidably mounted upon saidouter casing, an inner needle carrying housing reciprocably mounted within said casing and operable from said cap, spring means for normally holding the inner needle carrying housing in a retracted position, an outer needle carrying housing threaded upon said inner needle carrying housing, means for holding the outer needle carrying housing against rotation with respect to said casing whereby said outer needle carrying housing will be moved longitudinally of the inner needle carrying housing as the inner needle carrying housing is rotated, needles carried by the inner needle carrying housing, and needles carried by the outer needle carrying housing.

fi. A device of the class described comprising an outer casing, a cap slidably mounted upon said outer casing, an inner needle carrying housing reciprocably mounted within said casing and operable from said cap, spring means for normally holding the inner needle carrying housing in a retracted position, an outer needle carrying housing threaded upon said inner needle carrying housing, needles carried by the inner needle carrying housing, needles carried by the outer needle carrying housing, said casing having a longitudinally extending channel, a lug carried bythe outer needle carrying housing slidably mounted in said channel for holding said outer needle carrying housing against rotation with respect t-o the casing and causing said outer needle carrying housing to move longitudinally of said inner needle carrying housing, the needles in each housing being individually emovabla an abutment seat carried by said casing for limiting the return movement of said housings, and an extension removably threaded upon the outer end of said casing.

YASUJIRO OKUMURA. 

